The controversy surrounding Norwood Dog Officer Frank Rodak intensified yesterday after he filed a formal report alleging that he was struck by a resident during an altercation involving an electronic stun gun.
Selectmen Chairman John Kinnaly stated that Rodak filed the report yesterday afternoon, claiming he was assaulted by Stephen G. Amort of 94 Hampden Drive.
Rodak reported that he sought treatment at the Norwood Hospital emergency room for swelling to his face and neck following the Wednesday night confrontation. According to Kinnaly, the incident began when Rodak was on Hampden Road investigating a loose dog complaint and observed an unrestrained beagle entering an apartment at 94 Hampden Road. A dispute reportedly broke out when Rodak asked Amort who owned the beagle and demanded to see its license.
Stun Gun Use Draws Selectmen Rebuke
Amort alleges that Rodak shot him with an electronic stunning device—which fires a three-pronged electrode to transmit an electric current—leaving him temporarily paralyzed for 15 minutes. While Chairman Kinnaly ruled out immediate disciplinary action against Rodak pending a clearer picture of the facts, he sharply criticized the officer’s tactical choice, declaring, “There was no excuse for firing a zap gun. We’re not in the 21st Century yet.”
Neither Rodak nor Assistant Town Manager Bernard Cooper offered public comment on the incident. Local police conducted an investigation, though their official report has not been released.
Legal Actions and Court Proceedings
Legal battles are already shaping up over the confrontation:
- A probable cause hearing has been scheduled in Dedham District Court for the end of next month to determine whether criminal assault charges should be brought against Dog Officer Rodak.
- Attorney John Mulvey of Walpole, representing Amort, stated that his client will ask the court to charge Rodak with assault by means of a dangerous weapon.
- Mulvey also noted that a civil lawsuit against the town may be pursued depending on the outcome of the probable cause hearing.
(Note: Newspaper corrections from the previous day’s reporting noted that the resident’s name was incorrectly printed as Stephen Sheen Amort, and the attorney’s name was misspelled as Mulzee.)
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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